Mechanisms of NKG2D ligand regulation

<p><strong>Background:</strong> The NKG2D ligands are a set of cell surface proteins, the expression of which can make cells susceptible to immunity mediated by NKG2D receptor expressing cells, which include NK cells, CD8<sup>+</sup> αβ T cells and γδ T cells. The NKG2D...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: McCarthy, M, Michael McCarthy
Other Authors: O'Callaghan, C
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
_version_ 1797073602743369728
author McCarthy, M
Michael McCarthy
author2 O'Callaghan, C
author_facet O'Callaghan, C
McCarthy, M
Michael McCarthy
author_sort McCarthy, M
collection OXFORD
description <p><strong>Background:</strong> The NKG2D ligands are a set of cell surface proteins, the expression of which can make cells susceptible to immunity mediated by NKG2D receptor expressing cells, which include NK cells, CD8<sup>+</sup> αβ T cells and γδ T cells. The NKG2D ligands are known to be expressed in distinct settings, including viral infection, cancer, T cell activation, and cellular proliferation, settings also tightly associated with Warburg metabolism. The molecular events which determine NKG2D ligand expression status are unknown.</p> <p><strong>Aims:</strong> We aim to enhance understanding of the deterministic molecular events that control NKG2D ligand expression. Specifically, to explore the relationship between Warburg metabolism and NKG2D ligand expression in cell line and physiological models, and second, to identify open chromatin elements at NKG2D ligand loci, and develop computational methods to analyse this data.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> We use a range of molecular biology techniques to delineate the role of glucose metabolism in NKG2D ligand expression in a HEK293T cell model. We develop a physiological CMV-primary fibroblast model of NKG2D ligand induction to validate our key findings. We adapt, optimise and validate a DNaseI-seq protocol, to define open chromatin sites at the NKG2D ligand loci. We develop a data analysis `pipeline', including our own peak-finding software (“PeakHunter"), to identify open chromatin sites in the data.</p> <p><strong>Key results:</strong> Glucose drives NKG2D ligand expression. This effect requires cellular uptake and metabolism of glucose. Purine nucleotides are a key glucose metabolite for this effect, and purine nucleosides are <em>sufficient</em> to induce NKG2D ligand expression in our HEK293T model. We have identified the open chromatin sites at the NKG2D loci in MCF7 breast cancer cells, and optimised and validated this protocol. Finally we have developed “PeakHunter" a multifunctional software tool for mapped DNaseI-seq data analysis.</p> <p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Glucose and its contribution to purine metabolism play a central role in the induction of NKG2D ligand expression in physiological settings. The influence of glucose leads to significant alterations in cellular NKG2D-dependent immunogenicity. PeakHunter is a useful tool for analysis of mapped DNaseI-seq data.</p>
first_indexed 2024-03-06T23:24:23Z
format Thesis
id oxford-uuid:69de3276-0b1e-4174-9309-988242468682
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T23:24:23Z
publishDate 2013
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:69de3276-0b1e-4174-9309-9882424686822022-03-26T18:53:47ZMechanisms of NKG2D ligand regulationThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:69de3276-0b1e-4174-9309-988242468682MetabolismBioinformatics (life sciences)ImmunologyEnglishOxford University Research Archive - Valet2013McCarthy, MMichael McCarthyO'Callaghan, C<p><strong>Background:</strong> The NKG2D ligands are a set of cell surface proteins, the expression of which can make cells susceptible to immunity mediated by NKG2D receptor expressing cells, which include NK cells, CD8<sup>+</sup> αβ T cells and γδ T cells. The NKG2D ligands are known to be expressed in distinct settings, including viral infection, cancer, T cell activation, and cellular proliferation, settings also tightly associated with Warburg metabolism. The molecular events which determine NKG2D ligand expression status are unknown.</p> <p><strong>Aims:</strong> We aim to enhance understanding of the deterministic molecular events that control NKG2D ligand expression. Specifically, to explore the relationship between Warburg metabolism and NKG2D ligand expression in cell line and physiological models, and second, to identify open chromatin elements at NKG2D ligand loci, and develop computational methods to analyse this data.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> We use a range of molecular biology techniques to delineate the role of glucose metabolism in NKG2D ligand expression in a HEK293T cell model. We develop a physiological CMV-primary fibroblast model of NKG2D ligand induction to validate our key findings. We adapt, optimise and validate a DNaseI-seq protocol, to define open chromatin sites at the NKG2D ligand loci. We develop a data analysis `pipeline', including our own peak-finding software (“PeakHunter"), to identify open chromatin sites in the data.</p> <p><strong>Key results:</strong> Glucose drives NKG2D ligand expression. This effect requires cellular uptake and metabolism of glucose. Purine nucleotides are a key glucose metabolite for this effect, and purine nucleosides are <em>sufficient</em> to induce NKG2D ligand expression in our HEK293T model. We have identified the open chromatin sites at the NKG2D loci in MCF7 breast cancer cells, and optimised and validated this protocol. Finally we have developed “PeakHunter" a multifunctional software tool for mapped DNaseI-seq data analysis.</p> <p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Glucose and its contribution to purine metabolism play a central role in the induction of NKG2D ligand expression in physiological settings. The influence of glucose leads to significant alterations in cellular NKG2D-dependent immunogenicity. PeakHunter is a useful tool for analysis of mapped DNaseI-seq data.</p>
spellingShingle Metabolism
Bioinformatics (life sciences)
Immunology
McCarthy, M
Michael McCarthy
Mechanisms of NKG2D ligand regulation
title Mechanisms of NKG2D ligand regulation
title_full Mechanisms of NKG2D ligand regulation
title_fullStr Mechanisms of NKG2D ligand regulation
title_full_unstemmed Mechanisms of NKG2D ligand regulation
title_short Mechanisms of NKG2D ligand regulation
title_sort mechanisms of nkg2d ligand regulation
topic Metabolism
Bioinformatics (life sciences)
Immunology
work_keys_str_mv AT mccarthym mechanismsofnkg2dligandregulation
AT michaelmccarthy mechanismsofnkg2dligandregulation